Apart from water, tea is consumed in greater volumes than any other beverage. In the Western world most of that tea is so-called “black tea” which is obtained from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis by processes that allow polyphenols in the leaf to be oxidized by enzymes within the leaf (such as polyphenol oxidase) to produce the colored polymeric materials that are responsible for the characteristic color of black teas and of the infusions made from them.
In seventeenth century England, when tea was a luxury and taken in porcelain cups, tea drinkers were concerned that pouring hot tea directly on to the delicate cup would cause it to crack, so they began to add a small amount of milk first. In many countries, consumers still prefer to add milk to black tea before consumption. Such milked tea or milk tea beverage can be served either hot or cold. Many consumers prefer teas that are ready-to-drink, i.e. that are pre-prepared and sold in bottles or other packaging.
Ready-to-drink (RTD) milk tea beverages usually contain milk solids like for example milk protein and milk fat that give the beverages certain organoleptic properties like for example a ‘creamy mouthfeel’. Some consumers perceive animal fat like milk fat as less desirable. To accommodate such concerns, milk fat is sometimes replaced in part or in whole by vegetable fat. This can be achieved by using for example non-dairy creamers (NDC) instead of milk powder. A typical NDC usually contains vegetable fat and, despite the name, milk proteins like for example sodium caseinate. The NDC may further comprise sugars like lactose.
Some consumers want to lower their caloric intake for health reasons and prefer products that have a low(er) caloric value (i.e. are less energy dense). The amount of milk solids and/or NDC can be lowered to lower the caloric value of ready-to-drink milk tea beverages. However, this may lead to a loss of some or a deterioration of organoleptic properties that consumers associate with a ready-to-drink milk tea beverage, and is therefore less desirable.
Microfibrillar cellulose (a.k.a. cellulose microfibrils) is a product that is well known and used in many fields such as the food sector. It gives the media in which it is present specific properties in terms of for example viscosity and stability. For example, EP 295 865 describes the use of cellulose microfibril suspensions containing parenchymal cells as an additive for food formulations.
Milk containing beverages may suffer from stability problems in that fat and oil droplets surfacing on the upper surface of the beverage. This is sometimes called ‘creaming’. Other stability problems that may be encountered upon storage include sedimentation. Such stability problems may make the milk containing beverage less appealing for consumers.
JP 2004-305005A describes the use of fibrous cellulose to provide a stable milk component containing beverage. More specifically the use of fibrous cellulose from secondary cell wall material is described.
JP 2007-330256 describes the use of fermented cellulose as a stabilizer in a beverage containing a milk component. More specifically the use of bacterial cellulose is described.
There is thus a need for RTD milk tea beverages that provide an acceptable organoleptic experience expected of such beverages, like for example creaminess, while being low(er) in energy content. There is also a need for alternative RTD milk tea beverages that can provide new sensorial experiences. Such beverages preferably should be stable and not suffer from for example ‘creaming’ and/or sedimentation upon storage.